Gamertag Radio

In this episode of Gamertag Radio, host Danny Peña sits down with Chris Hewish, President of Xsolla. With over 25 years of experience in the gaming industry at companies like Activision, DreamWorks, and Skydance, Chris shares valuable insights on the evolving business of video games.
Danny and Chris discuss the shift in premium game pricing, hardware costs, and the economic realities facing game developers today. Chris breaks down why developers are shifting to direct-to-consumer web shops, how direct player connections impact studio sustainability, and the critical importance of building long-term player trust over purely transactional relationships. They also dive into topics including user-generated content (UGC), player digital asset ownership, and the future outlook for traditional home consoles.
Additionally, Parris Lilly shares impressions of Phantom Blade Zero using NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 with Ray Reconstruction and Path Tracing for the ultimate visuals and performance with a RTX 50 Series GPU #RTXON sponsored by NVIDIA GeForce. Sponsored segment.

While preparing for an international move to Punta Cana, Danny Peña and Riana Manuel-Peña put all their major gaming rigs and consoles into storage. The result? Danny spent the last two months reviewing all major upcoming and new game releases strictly on the ROG Xbox Ally X, while Riana tested out the Nintendo Switch 2!
In this episode of Gamer Tag Radio, they break down what it’s like living purely off handheld devices, comparing performance, ergonomics, battery convenience, and overall experience against traditional desktop PCs, the Xbox Series S/X, and the Steam Deck.
Key Topics Covered:

Moving setup changes & why everything went into storage

Why the ROG Xbox Ally X replaced a high-end gaming PC for reviews

Testing games on ROG Ally X: Gears of War: E-Day, Control Resonant, Silent Hill, Hellraiser, Forza Horizon, and more

Switch 2 impressions & split Joy-Con ergonomics

Playing Call of Duty campaign offline on Switch 2

ROG Ally X vs. Steam Deck performance comparisons

Handhelds as dad/parent gaming solutions & mini PC alternatives

In this episode of Gamer Tag Radio, Danny Peña and Riana Manuel-Peña take a trip down memory lane to react to and share their absolute favorite video game swag, press kits, and promotional packages received throughout their gaming careers!
From a limited-edition 007 gold gun display and a custom Sifu tea set to pizza-scented TMNT Xbox controllers and ultra-rare consoles (like the E3 2005 Xbox 360 faceplate and the GTA IV: Lost and Damned Xbox 360), they break down the most creative, high-effort, and memorable gaming collectibles sent by developers over the years.
Games & Items Featured in This Video:

GoldenEye 007 Limited Edition Display Case

Viva Piñata Custom Wooden Box & Character Piñata

Starfield Custom Xbox Headset & Controller

Sifu Press Kit with Stoneware Tea Set & Life Coins

Cronos: The New Dawn PS5 Controller & Limited Release Vinyl

Xbox x Samsung Note 20 Cloud Gaming VIP Kit

Xbox x OPI Summer Nail Polish Collection & Custom Controller

Space Jam: A New Legacy LeBron James Figurine & Controller Set

TMNT: Mutant Mayhem Pizza-Scented Xbox Controllers

Xbox Series X Oversized Jenga Tower

The Last of Us Emergency Survival Kit & Flashlight

Outriders: Worldslayer Pyromancer Class Hot Sauce Challenge

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Event Swag & "Winky Wash"

Tell Me Why Authentic Tlingit Hand-Painted Wooden Figures & ARG Mailers

Psychonauts 2 Raz Goggles & Brain Puzzle Unboxing

Minecraft Legends Mini Creeper Fridge

Titanfall Respawn Developer Easter Egg Controller

South of Midnight Vinyl Soundtrack

Battletoads Flash Drive Cassette Tape & Promo Box

GTA IV: The Lost and Damned Limited Edition Console

10th Anniversary Xbox Live Signed Console

Join host Danny Peña and special guest Riana Manuel-Peña on this special episode of Gamertag Radio for a spoiler-free review of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 campaign!
Danny and Riana dive deep into their hands-on impressions across multiple platforms—including Riana's experience on Xbox Series S and Danny's early impressions playing on Nintendo Switch 2. They break down:

Story & Pacing: Riana's thoughts on why this is her favorite Modern Warfare campaign yet, the TV-show quality story structure, and engaging character arcs.

Gameplay & Performance: How the game performs on Switch 2 and Series S, branching player choices, stealth missions, and new mechanics.

Open-World & DMZ Integration: A preview of the semi-open campaign missions and how they set expectations for DMZ.

Special Surprises & Tips: Highlights on the integrated Wu-Tang Clan elements, crucial advice for the end-credits, and a look ahead to multiplayer.

Special thanks to Activision for providing review copies.
Connect with us:

Danny Peña

Parris Lilly

Pete Toledo

Riana Manuel-Peña

Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.

Danny Peña and Parris Lilly dive deep into the ultimate history and current status of the Call of Duty franchise. The duo examines COD's historic sales domination since 2005, comparing its performance against industry giants like Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto, and Red Dead Redemption.
They also evaluate the business impact of releasing Call of Duty on Game Pass on day one, analyzing why strategy shifts occur and what the future holds for the franchise across platforms. Plus, Parris breaks down his hands-on experience playing Call of Duty multiplayer on the Nintendo Switch 2 and discusses how bringing COD to Switch 2 expands its global ecosystem.